Women Celebrating Earth Science: Melissa Yang

Today, we would like to introduce to you a wonderful scientist, Melissa Yang. We hope you learn a bit from Dr. Yang and feel the same inspiration we did when we interviewed her! To learn more about the annual Earth Science Week celebrations, click here.

How did you discover your passion for Earth Science?

When I got into graduate school, I had the option of either joining a research group that worked on materials or one that worked on studying the atmosphere and the air that we breathe. Before this point, I had never imagined that there were people studying the air in such detail, probing different parts of the atmosphere, trying to understand the chemistry and dynamics of it. In 2006, as part of my thesis work, I had the opportunity to participate in my first NASA airborne field campaign – INTEX-B. This is where my passion for the Earth Sciences developed. I was in awe that there were actually planes flying above us measuring the air that we breathe. The complexity of the atmosphere and its chemistry amazed and thrilled me.